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FeC Diagram PDF
FeC Diagram PDF
Iron-Carbon Phase
Diagram (a review) see
Callister Chapter 9
γ → α + γ → α + Fe3C
γ → γ + Fe3C → α + Fe3C
Fraction of pearlite:
Phase Transformations
of Fe-C (a review)
see Callister Chapter 10
Superheating / supercooling
eutectoid reaction:
γ(0.76 wt% C)
↓
α (0.022 wt% C)
+
Fe3C
TTT Diagrams
Eutectoid
Austenite (stable) temperature
Fe3C
Fine pearlite
Austenite → pearlite
Denotes that a transformation
transformation is occurring
TTT Diagrams
¾ The family of S-shaped curves at different T are used to
construct the TTT diagrams.
¾ The TTT diagrams are for the isothermal (constant T)
transformations (material is cooled quickly to a given
temperature before the transformation occurs, and then
keep it at that temperature).
¾ At low temperatures, the transformation occurs sooner
(it is controlled by the rate of nucleation) and grain
growth (that is controlled by diffusion) is reduced.
¾ Slow diffusion at low temperatures leads to fine-grained
microstructure with thin-layered structure of pearlite
(fine pearlite).
¾ At higher temperatures, high diffusion rates allow for
larger grain growth and formation of thick layered
structure of pearlite (coarse pearlite).
¾ At compositions other than eutectoid, a proeutectoid
phase (ferrite or cementite) coexist with pearlite.
Additional curves for proeutectoid transformation must
be included on TTT diagrams.
Spheroidite
• Annealing of pearlitic or bainitic microstructures at
elevated temperatures just below eutectoid (e.g. 24 h at
700 C) leads to the formation of new microstructure –
spheroidite - spheres of cementite in a ferrite matrix.
• Composition or relative amounts of ferrite and cementite
are not changing in this transformation, only shape of
the cementite inclusions is changing.
• Transformation proceeds by C diffusion – needs high T.
• Driving force for the transformation - reduction in total
ferrite - cementite boundary area
Martensite (I)
• Martensite forms when austenite is rapidly cooled
(quenched) to room T.
• It forms nearly instantaneously when the required low
temperature is reached. The austenite-martensite does
not involve diffusion → no thermal activation is needed,
this is called an athermal transformation.
• Each atom displaces a small (sub-atomic) distance to
transform FCC γ-Fe (austenite) to martensite which has
a Body Centered Tetragonal (BCT) unit cell (like BCC,
but one unit cell axis is longer than the other two).
• Martensite is metastable - can persist indefinitely at
room temperature, but will transform to equilibrium
phases on annealing at an elevated temperature.
• Martensite can coexist with other phases and/or
microstructures in Fe-C system
• Since martensite is metastable non-equilibrium phase, it
does not appear in phase Fe-C phase diagram
A: Austenite P: Pearlite
B: Bainite M: Martensite
Austenite
Slow Rapid
cooling quench
Moderate
cooling
Reheat
Tempered martensite
(α + Fe3C)